Football

Football Spring Practice in Full Swing

Apr 07, 2010

April 7, 2010

2010 Spring Football Photo Gallery

The Sacred Heart football team is in the midst of Spring
Practice as they get prepare for training camp this summer and the
2010 season. SHU is gearing up for their 20th season on the
gridiron as the season kicks-off on September 3rd at Marist.

The Pioneers will once again be led on offense by quarterback Dale Fink
(Swansea, IL) who opens his fourth season under center. The
four-year starter has re-written the Sacred Heart record book over
his career, holding 11 Pioneer passing records. Fink threw for
2,064 yards last season, completing over 60% of his passes for the
third-straight season (.611). Fink completed 212-of-347 passes
throwing 17 touchdowns on the year. He led the Northeast Conference
in passing yards per game (206.4), total offense (206.4),
completions (212), completion percentage (61.1) and touchdown
passes (17).

Fink holds the school records for career passing yards (5,896),
career completions (587), career touchdown passes (64), career
passing attempts (921), career completion percentage (63.7),
completions in a season (215 - 2008), completion percentage in a
season (67.8 - 2008), passing yards in a game (373 vs. Monmouth
10/17/09), completions in a game (36 vs. Monmouth 10/17/09),
passing attempts in a game (54 vs. Monmouth 10/17/09) and touchdown
passes in a game (6 vs. Duquesne 11/14/09).

The passing game will need to replace the loss of all-time
leading receiver Steve Tedesco but
Fink will have a host of familiar targets at his disposal this
fall. R-Senior Tony Patterson
(Groton, CT) and junior Rich Rossi (Moosic,
PA) return to lead the receiving corps. Rossi was second on the
team last fall hauling in 35 passes for 313 yards and a touchdown.
Patterson had 25 catches for 264 yards and enters his final season
ranked eighth on the SHU all-time list for career yards per catch
(11.1).

Coles and senior Marcel Archer
(Miami, FL) return to the SHU backfield as the Pioneers look to
improve on their league-low 113.9 yards rushing per game. Coles
finished the year with 352 yards on 73 carries, a 4.7 yards per
rush average. He finished the year with three scores. Archer
battled injury for much of last season but finished the year with
292 yards on 58 carries (5.0 ypc). He finished the year strong,
running for a season-best 109 yards and a score on 17 carries in
24-14 win over Bryant and 79 yards on just eight carries in the
season finale vs. Duquesne.

Up front, r-senior Justin Smith
(Binghamton, NY) anchors an experienced offensive line. Smith is a
three-year returning starter at the center position for the
Pioneers. He was named All-NEC in 2008. Junior Dylan Larson
(Barnegat Light, NJ) returns to his starting guard spot along with
fellow junior Justin Martel (Manchester, NH) at right tackle.
R-Sophomore Bill Romaniello
(Monroe, CT) and r-senior Robert Russell
(Utica, NY) saw action as starters at different points last season
and r-sophomore Rakendrick
Varnado (Ft. Worth, TX) will add depth along the line.

Along the defensive line, three-year starter senior Andrew
Costantino (Abiagton, MA) is back along with the return of
r-senior Bill
O'Brien (Lafayette, NY). Costantino will once again help plug
up the middle holding down the nose guard position in the Pioneer's
3-4 defensive scheme. O'Brien missed all of the 2009 season with an
injury but hopes to return to his 2008 All-NEC form. The r-senior
defensive end recorded 61 tackles in 2008, eight for losses and
three sacks.

Junior Justin Embler
(Cinnaminson, NJ) stepped into O'Brien's spot last fall and turned
in a breakout season, starting all 10 games while leading the team
in sacks and tackles for a loss. Embler finished the season with 53
tackles, third on the team, four sacks and 7.5 tackles for
loss.

In the defensive backfield, both starting corners return in
juniors Titus
McIntosh (Pompano Beach, FL) and Ahmad Covington
(Clementon, NJ). McIntosh recorded 46 tackles with two picks and
eight pass break-ups while Covington posted 44 tackles with two
interceptions on the year.

Seniors Rashod Underwood
(Baltimore, MD) and Mike Mortali
(Branford, CT) and sophomore Zak Turner (Hillsdale,
NJ) return at the safety positions. Underwood and Mortali saw their
season's cut short by injury last season while Turner stepped in
and drew six starting assignments. Underwood had 20 tackles and a
sack in five games before injury cost him the last five games.
Mortali was forced out of last season's opener against Marist.
Turner turned in 20 tackles on the year.

On special teams, sophomore place kicker Jason Plescow
(Miami, FL) took hold of the kicking duties last season and
finished the year a perfect six-of-six, hitting on a long of 37
yards. He was 13-of-16 on point after attempts.